Push switch device

Abstract

A switch device may include a pressing member, an urging member, fixed contacts, at least one movable contact swingable in a direction intersecting with a movement direction of the pressing member and connecting and disconnecting between the fixed contacts. The pressing member may include a slider portion extending in a direction oblique to the movement direction and slidable along the movable contact. The movable contact may be pressed by the slider portion in the pressing member sliding to swing and come in contact with and separate from at least one of the fixed contacts in response to the pressing member moving from a reference position to a pressed position.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A switch device, comprising:
 a housing; 
 a pressing member accommodated by a side of the housing, and configured to move from a reference position to a pressed position in a predetermined movement direction upon receiving an external pressing force and return to the reference position upon being released from the external pressing force; 
 an urging member configured to urge the pressing member toward the reference position; 
 a plurality of fixed contacts; and 
 at least one movable contact swingable in a direction intersecting with the movement direction of the pressing member, the at least one movable contact being configured, by swinging back and forth in the direction intersecting the movement direction, to connect and disconnect between the plurality of fixed contacts, wherein 
 the pressing member comprises a slider portion extending in a direction oblique to the movement direction and slidable along the at least one movable contact, and 
 the at least one movable contact is pressed by the slider portion in the pressing member by sliding along the at least one movable contact to cause the at least one movable contact to swing away from the side of the housing toward a center of the housing in the direction intersecting the movement direction so as to come in contact with at least one of the plurality of fixed contacts in response to the pressing member moving from the reference position to the pressed position. 
 
     
     
       2. The switch device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the slider portion has a plurality of inclined surfaces extending in directions oblique at different angles to the movement direction of the pressing member. 
 
     
     
       3. The switch device according to  claim 2 , wherein
 the at least one movable contact comprises an arm electrically connected to one of the plurality of fixed contacts, and 
 the at least one movable contact swings and comes in contact with and separate from another of the plurality of fixed contacts in response to the arm being pressed by the slider portion in the pressing member by the sliding of the pressing member along the at least one movable contact. 
 
     
     
       4. The switch device according to  claim 2 , wherein
 the at least one movable contact comprises a plurality of contact points configured to come in contact with and separate from at least one of the plurality of fixed contacts. 
 
     
     
       5. The switch device according to  claim 2 , wherein
 the at least one movable contact comprises a plurality of movable contacts. 
 
     
     
       6. The switch device according to  claim 2 , wherein
 the plurality of inclined surfaces extend at a smaller angle to the movement direction of the pressing member when the at least one movable contact is in contact with one of the plurality of fixed contacts than when the at least one movable contact is out of contact with the plurality of fixed contacts. 
 
     
     
       7. The switch device according to  claim 6 , wherein
 the at least one movable contact comprises an arm electrically connected to one of the plurality of fixed contacts, and 
 the at least one movable contact swings and comes in contact with and separate from another of the plurality of fixed contacts in response to the arm being pressed by the slider portion in the pressing member by the sliding of the pressing member along the at least one movable contact. 
 
     
     
       8. The switch device according to  claim 6 , wherein
 the at least one movable contact comprises a plurality of contact points configured to come in contact with and separate from at least one of the plurality of fixed contacts. 
 
     
     
       9. The switch device according to  claim 6 , wherein
 the at least one movable contact comprises a plurality of movable contacts. 
 
     
     
       10. The switch device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the at least one movable contact comprises an arm electrically connected to one of the plurality of fixed contacts, and 
 the at least one movable contact swings and comes in contact with and separate from another of the plurality of fixed contacts in response to the arm being pressed by the slider portion in the pressing member by the sliding of the pressing member along the at least one movable contact. 
 
     
     
       11. The switch device according to  claim 10 , wherein
 the at least one movable contact comprises a plurality of contact points configured to come in contact with and separate from at least one of the plurality of fixed contacts. 
 
     
     
       12. The switch device according to  claim 10 , wherein
 the at least one movable contact comprises a plurality of movable contacts. 
 
     
     
       13. The switch device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the at least one movable contact comprises a plurality of contact points configured to come in contact with and separate from at least one of the plurality of fixed contacts. 
 
     
     
       14. The switch device according to  claim 13 , wherein
 the at least one movable contact comprises a plurality of movable contacts. 
 
     
     
       15. The switch device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the at least one movable contact comprises a plurality of movable contacts. 
 
     
     
       16. The switch device according to  claim 15 , wherein
 the pressing member comprises a plurality of the slider portions for the plurality of movable contacts. 
 
     
     
       17. The switch device according to  claim 16 , wherein
 the plurality of movable contacts are a pair of movable contacts, and 
 the pressing member comprises a pair of the slider portions for the pair of movable contacts. 
 
     
     
       18. The switch device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the plurality of fixed contacts comprise a first fixed contact and a second fixed contact, and 
 the at least one movable contact is electrically connected to the first fixed contact, and the at least one movable contact comes in contact with the second fixed contact in response to the pressing member moving to the pressed position and separates from the second fixed contact in response to the pressing member moving to the reference position. 
 
     
     
       19. The switch device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the plurality of fixed contacts comprise a first fixed contact and a second fixed contact, and 
 the at least one movable contact is electrically connected to the first fixed contact, and the at least one movable contact separates from the second fixed contact in response to the pressing member moving to the pressed position and comes in contact with the second fixed contact in response to the pressing member moving to the reference position. 
 
     
     
       20. The switch device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the plurality of fixed contacts comprise a first fixed contact, a second fixed contact, and a third fixed contact, and 
 the at least one movable contact is electrically connected to the first fixed contact, and the at least one movable contact separates from the second fixed contact and comes in contact with the third fixed contact in response to the pressing member moving to the pressed position and separates from the third fixed contact and comes in contact with the second fixed contact in response to the pressing member moving to the reference position.